With 2015 getting started and the Academy Awards having been handed out over a week ago, distributors are starting to program their fall lineups, and award contenders are starting to come into conversations.

Like every year, it is too hard to know what films will actually be in the conversation, especially with Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals not having happened yet. However, there are a number of films likely to be in the conversation by the end of the year.

The biggest film already getting buzz is Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's film "The Revenant." Shortly after winning his first Oscar for "Birdman," the director recently wrapped production on his upcoming film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and Fox has already dated it for Dec. 25, which is a prime Oscar period. This could be a chance to get DiCaprio his first Oscar, but also a chance to get Inarritu to obtain his third directing nomination.

David O. Russell also has a film, and with his latest track record with the Academy, it could be a chance at his first win. "Joy" stars Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro, and these three actors have proven gold for Russell. The movie is set for Dec. 25, and it is likely Fox will also give it the Oscar treatment.

Another big film will be the hotly anticipated "Steve Jobs." The movie is directed by Oscar winner Danny Boyle and stars Oscar-nominee Michael Fassbender and Oscar-winner Kate Winslet. It is also written by Aaron Sorkin, who's given Bennett Miller and David Fincher two of the most acclaimed scripts in recent years. Universal is releasing the film in October, which has proven to be the best month for the last three Oscar winners.

Also being released in October is "St. James Place." The movie is directed by Steven Spielberg, and it stars Tom Hanks, Amy Ryan and Alan Alda. While Spielberg films do not always mean Oscars, his last three films have been nominated for Best Picture. Spielberg is also considered one of the most prolific filmmakers in the industry, and Buena Vista's release definitely points to an Oscar campaign.

The Weinstein Company also has a number of films will roll out during the season. Quentin Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight" is one that will definitely be talked about, but Todd Hayne's "Carol" has been on the radar for quite some time. Starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, the movie is likely to be a high profile picture throughout the festival circuit and one that could emerge as a Best Picture contender.

The company also has "Macbeth" with Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, and many pundits expect it to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hooper could also be back in the race with "The Danish Girl." The production team recently released the film's first still, and it had many talking about Redmayne possibly winning a back-to-back Oscar. However, the film still does not have a distributor.

Meanwhile, a couple of Sundance pictures may want to repeat the success of "Whiplash." Fox Searchlight will release "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl," which won the Grand Jury Prize. The movie is scheduled for the summer, which could be beneficial especially after the success of "Boyhood," this past awards season. The company also acquired "Brooklyn" starring Saoirse Ronan, which scored rave reviews out of Sundance.

Lily Tomlin's unique performance in "Grandma" out Sundance could also make headlines at the Oscar next year. Sony Pictures Classics acquired the movie at Sundance, and the company may want to repeat its success after "Whiplash."

Lionsgate has been a slump at the Academy Awards as of late. But the company just won the rights to "Freeheld" at Berlin Film Festival, and based on the synopsis, the roles and the plot sound like Oscar bait. It could be a chance to get Julianne Moore a nomination after her win and get Ellen Page a nomination after eight years.

One of the films that just scored raves out of Berlin was "45 years" starring Charlotte Rampling and directed by Andrew Haigh. The movie won two awards at the festival and scored rave reviews. It did not get distribution, however, which might affect it. If it goes on play at Toronto or Venice, though, it could regain buzz after its world premiere.

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